Forbidden Desires
by Blackdrak
Summary: When Lloyd and Zelos spend a night out in the middle of the frozen continent, Lloyd develops feelings for his freind. However, someone warns him against pursuing this forbidden desire. Zelloyd!
1. Ice Cold Slumber

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I can't afford to be sued… whatever. sigh I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. I do, however, own this plot!

Chapter 1: Ice Cold Slumber

Lloyd's POV

Cold. So very, very cold. In fact, I'd say it's freezing. All because I drew the shortest straw and was stuck on guard duty! In the middle of a frozen continent. Lucky me.

The fire provides little warmth, even though I'm sitting close enough to be in danger of catching myself on fire, though I'd imagine it's impossible for someone so cold to be flammable.

There aren't any of the heavy blankets left by the others, who are sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware of my current predicament.

My body is wracked with shivers, and I draw my knees to my chest, trying to save precious body heat, which is quickly disappearing into the sky, overlooking the bland whiteness of this stupid place.

Just as I'm about to fall over out of pure physical exhaustion, I feel something warm and heavy being draped onto my shoulders. My reflexes are deadly quick, a sword at the other's throat, much like the time I snuck up on Kratos.

"Whoa, whoa, chill out, bud. Put the sword down," Zelos says, trying to sound calm and not move too much.

Blinking in realization of the identity of my 'enemy,' I lower and sheath the sword, then scratch the back of my head sheepishly.

Looking to my shoulder, I see that the item placed there, which by some miracle has not fallen off, is a blanket.

"Oh, sorry, Zellos… eh-heh, I guess my reflexes are a little bit too quick…"

"And here I was, just trying to be nice and bring you a blanket! See if I ever help you again."

"I said I was sorry… and thank you for the blanket. I just thought it was some monster sneaking up on me to attack!" I tell him.

All the redhead does is smirk.

"But wait… where did you get the blanket? I thought there weren't any more?"

He seems to contemplate this for a moment, though I don't know why. "It was mine. But you looked so cold, I felt that you needed it more than I did. Besides, I'm so hot I could keep myself warm forever!"

I punch him lightly in the shoulder, identical large grins played out across both of our mouths.

That being done, Zelos sits down on the small area I cleared of snow, beckoning me to do the same. I comply, allowing myself to close my eyes at the warmth of the combination of fire and the blanket.

For a moment we simply sit there in comfortable silence, listening to the wind howling through the barren tundra. But soon, I allow my eyes to open, and I scoot gradually closer to my companion. I don't know why; for some reason, I feel this overwhelming need to be next to him. I'm sure it's just because I'm cold and can receive warmth from body heat. At least, that's what I tell myself.

Zelos makes no move to resist me, and I turn my head to his. Eyes closed, breathing shallow. He's asleep. But I also see that he is shivering lightly. Stupid baka gave me his own blanket, when he would be left without one.

I wonder for a moment just what I'm supposed to do, but make up my mind quickly. Casting aside any qualms, I quietly crawl into Zelos' lap, leaning my head against his chest, draping the blanket over the two of us.

I take a minute to simply enjoy his presence, though hoping desperately that I wake up before him, as well as the others, because this would make a rather embarrassing situation.

I carefully ease Zelos backwards so that he's laying down, and since it's a large blanket, I'm able to make part of it into a sort of pillow for his head, and lay at his left side, on arm draped across a muscled stomach.

It's only a few hours until dawn, and I cleared the area underneath us of snow, so I'm pretty sure we won't be in danger of getting wet.

With last thoughts of the handsome man beside me, I join him in peaceful slumber.

TBC

So, how do you like it? This is my newest fanfic. I already have up to chapter 9 written, so expect fairly hasty updates. Please review, even it's only a few words! Flames are accepted, but will be used to burn my muses when they refuse to inspire me.


	2. Good Intentions Gone Bad

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I can't afford to be sued… whatever. sigh I don't own Tales of Symphonia, nor any of its characters. I do, however, own this plot!

Chapter 2: Good Intentions Gone Bad

Lloyd's POV

Something feels… warm. And comfortable.

I open my eyes slowly, feeling overly refreshed, and the sight of the pink jacket-clad figure laying next to me, my face partially buried in his side, arm around his middle, brings back all memories of the previous night.

Carefully sitting up, I extricate myself with excruciating care so as not to disturb the sleeping Chosen, and am grateful to see that it's only just now light outside, so no one else should be up yet.

Leaning back on my elbows, I look up at the dreary gray sky and wonder about all that happened last night. Why in the world was he so nice to me? And more importantly, what caused me to act the way I did? I mean, we are best friends, but…

I am snapped out of my trance when I hear rustling from beside me. Looking over, I see that Zelos is now awake. He sits up slowly, rubbing his eyes, and yawns deeply, stretching his arms out. He notices me looking at him and "graces" me with one of his trademark smirks.

"Good morning, Lloyd. Thanks for sleeping with me last night. Never knew you had it in ya!" he chuckles.

I blush so hard that I know my face must match his hair. "Y-you were awake?"

"Yup! The whole time. I even felt it when you slipped that arm around me, you naughty little boy!" he teases.

If it's possible, that makes me blush even redder. "I-I was… only trying to warm you up! I was cold, you were cold, we're in the middle of a frozen continent!"

Great, Lloyd. Way to stutter when you're trying to convince someone of the innocence of your intentions.

"Riiiiiiight. I believe ya. Mmhmm. Well, let's go back to where the others are before they start breakfast without us!"

I nod my head, very greatful for the change of subject, even though I know it's awfully early for all of us to be up…

Camp is set up only a little ways away from where I was stationed on lookout duty, but walking behind the redhead, it feels like it's a million miles away. And yes, I admit it; I stare at his ass the entire time. But I would never admit that to anyone else.

As we get closer, a yummy smell wafts through the air, reminding me that I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday.

Upon arriving, I notice that everyone else is awake, and Regal's making curry over a pitifully small fire. I go straight to the food, of course, and hear Zelos behind me doing the same, until he is intercepted.

"Zelos, where were you last night!" demands Sheena.

"Mm, y'know, just sleeping with Lloyd, that's all."

I spin around to face them, thoughts of breakfast completely vanquished, and feel the anger and embarrassment rising in me. Everyone looks at our little scene, with shock written all over their faces, a blush reappearing on mine.

"It-it's not like that! He brought me a blanket, and then fell asleep!" I exclaim, pointing an accusing finger at the object of my current humiliation.

"Lloyd, you're leaving out the part where you curled up next to me, and when you slipped an arm around my stomach," Zelos notes calmly.

I feel my anger toward him growing. Is he trying to irritate me, embarrass me, and strip me of all of my pride? "I was cold! He was shivering! It's a natural instinct to try to share body heat!"

Raine and Sheena still look suspicious, but the others simply turn their heads back to whatever they were doing, dismissing this as another one of Zelos' stupid jokes.

After a few more minutes of me making desperate excuses, the two girls are finally satisfied, and Regal announces that the curry is ready.

Breakfast is eaten in relative silence, with only a little small talk. I suppose no one really knows what to say to anyone else, until Raine speaks up.

"We should head to Flanoir and stock up on supplies since we're so close. As you all probably know, we're out of almost everything."

We all nod our heads agreeably.

"To Flanoir it is!" I announce, happy that the earlier subject of argument has been forgotten.

And so it is that our party comes to rest in the frozen city of Flanoir.

TBC!

Yay, chapter two is up! How is it so far? Questions, comments, complaints? Please review! I know the plot hasn't really come into play yet, but something happens in chapter seven that kind of begins the unfolding of the story… I expect this to be pretty long! Please let me know what you think!


	3. Unfortunate Circumstance

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I can't afford to be sued… whatever. sigh I don't own Tales of Symphonia, nor any of its characters. I do, however, own this plot!

Chapter 3: Unfortunate Circumstance

Lloyd's POV

"I'm sorry, but there aren't enough beds for all of you. Because of the recent snowstorm, our inn has been flooded with people," the obviously exasperated receptionist tells us.

Genis appears outraged at this. "You have got to be kidding me! We FINALLY get to an inn, and half of us are STILL forced to sleep on the floor!"

I quickly try to calm him down, but to no avail. The boy would, no doubt, have steam coming out of his ears, if at all possible. I understand how it feels, though, seeing as all of us have been denied access to soft beds for a long time, but there's nothing we can do about it if the rooms are all full.

Raine apparently has the same thoughts of me, for she calmly says, "Genis, we're all tired of sleeping on the ground, but if there aren't enough beds for everyone, there aren't enough beds."

She turns to the dark-haired, middle-aged woman behind the desk. "Just how many rooms are left?"

The receptionist replies, slightly nervously (which is understandable), "There are four rooms, with just as many beds…"

"That means two people to a room. Now that that's been decided, who'll be staying with whom?" asks Raine.

We all look around at each other, but no one speaks up.

"Okay, fine. Presea with Colette, Regal with Genis, Lloyd with Zelos, and I'll be with Sheena. Any objections?"

I groan inwardly at the thought of having to stay with the royal pain-in-the-ass, but none of us have the courage to object if we want to.

"Good. Next decide who will sleep on the floor and who will sleep in the bed."

I walk up to the receptionist, receive a room key, and walk up the stairs to wherever we'll be staying, Zelos uncharacteristically keeping quiet. Room number 9. I insert and turn the key, open the door, and am met with the sight of a rather average-looking inn room. Everything is in various shades of tan, from the bed covers to the walls, floors, and furniture.

Seeing the bed, my mind returns to our current predicament. "Zelos, you can take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

I'm used to sleeping on the cold hard ground, so one night on a plush carpet isn't going to kill me.

The Chosen grins before replying, a dead giveaway that he's planning something I probably won't like. "Fine, suit yourself."

The grin widens slightly, and I grow more suspicious by the moment, but choose not to do anything. I sigh, and grab the top pillow and bedcover off, laying them on the tan carpet, making myself a small area to sleep.

"Well, it's late, I'm tired, and I'm going to bed," I say, pulling down the covers the covers to slip into the makeshift bed.

The Chosen stares at me minutely before replying, using the same words as earlier, "Suit yourself."

He switches the light off and slips into his own bed as I shut my eyes peacefully and wait for sleep to take me into the wonderful world of pleasant dreams.

But instead of sweet sleep and tender dreams, I toss and turn all night, half-aware, hair matted to my forehead with sweat, blanket twisted around my body haphazardly. My cheeks feel like they're on fire, and my ears ring with the sound of my own heavy breathing.

This continues for the entire length of the night.

TBC!

Meh. Sorry it's such a short chapter… the next one's a little longer, and the one after that is quite a bit longer. So… dun hurt me! cowers… and, as always, the authoress and her insatiable muse are review-hungry… Tell me what you think!


	4. Blurred Reality

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I'm only 13 and therefore can't afford to be sued… sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday is August 15th, so can I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 4: Blurred Reality

Lloyd's POV

When I come to consciousness, I am unaware of my current whereabouts. I realize that I'm burning up. My cheeks feel like they're on fire, and my vision is clouded. I see only blotches of light and dark, hazy squares forming abstract pictures.

I blink several times trying to make a clear path for my eyes to the image in front of me, and make out professor Raine standing over me. I'm apparently on the bed, however I got there.

"Well, it looks like you're finally awake," she says quietly.

I open my mouth to speak, but all that comes out is a strange gargling noise from the back of my throat. At this, Raine smiles lightly, seeming mildly amused.

"You're sick, though I'm sure you have already realized that. We've extended our stay here for another day, though we can rest longer if you need to," she tells me.

I moan quietly, feeling slightly guilty for holding everyone back. But there's nothing I can do right now.

The professor walks over to the nightstand where several small white bottles are sitting. She checks the labels and opens one of them, tipping it over so it dispenses a round yellow pill.

"Lloyd, you just have a cold, nothing serious, so I'm going to go ahead and start giving you cold medicine." She tips the pill into my hand, and I swallow it with some water she grabs from next to the bottles. Raine then bids me a 'good night,' even though it's actually morning, and walks out the door.

"You gonna be okay there, Lloyd?" I jump at this voice, having not noticed anyone else in the room. I turn my head and spot Zelos sitting in an armchair across the room.

"Oi, you startled me…" I reply groggily. Stupid cold. "But I'll be fine. A little bed rest, and then we can continue on our way!"

The redhead simply nods, and then rises from his seat. He walks casually over to the bed, and sits down on the edge with one of his mischievous grins. I toss a suspicious glance at him and scoot away slightly. What could he possibly be up to this time?

Still grinning, the Chosen leans over me to the point where his face is mere inches from my own, and… places his lips on mine.

My eyes widen hugely, and see that his are closed softly. I feel my heart skip a beat as it quickens, and my cheeks burn furiously. But it's over as soon as it starts. What the hell is going on? In that one instant, my brain stopped functioning. It took only one instant to completely destroy any barriers that I have carefully sculpted over the years. And after that one instant, I'm left breathless.

He pulls away from me slowly, and I can feel my lips still tangling. My eyes return to an almost normal size at a tantalizingly slow pace, still filled with surprise, disbelief, and something else… a faint hint of… joy? No, I must be mistaking this feeling for something else.

The Chosen smirks. "Now maybe I'll get sick too, and then I'll be able to lay around all day like you are. Right now, though, I have to go out to town and buy more medicine for poor little you." He sounds as careless as usual, as if nothing happened.

So… he kissed me in hopes of getting sick? Yes, that must be it. That would explain everything. Nothing more… But somehow I can't shake the feeling that I might have actually enjoyed it, might have wanted it to mean more. I'm still utterly speechless.

Zelos pushes himself off of the bed, waves to me with a small smile on his face, and disappears behind the door. I can't help letting out a sigh of relief, as if a burden has just been lifted, and lay back, allowing my eyes to close.

My mind is gleefully cleared, currently unperturbed by the events of the day, and I drift off into a slightly pained sleep.

TBC

Nya, everyone has got to love shonen-ai! Zelos and Lloyd are so cute together… I hope you all agree! Please let me know what you think of this so far. My muse, Kage, and I need lots of reviews to feed the insatiable hunger of an authoress!


	5. Shameful Desires

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I'm only 13 and therefore can't afford to be sued… sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday is August 15th, so can I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 5: Shameful Actions

Lloyd's POV

_Italics_mean he'sdreaming

_"Mmm, Lloyd, that feels so good. You're so tight… a virgin?" he asks as he pounds into me. For a minute I'm unsure of whether or not I'll be able to answer, my panting and moaning mirroring my intense pleasure._

_"Y-yes!" I manage to choke out. He leans down to kiss me, face clouded by darkness, and presses his lips against my own tenderly._

_This feeling of being controlled, a strong body protecting me… it's wonderful. The feeling of someone so utterly masculine dominating me… it's alluring. _

_With one last powerful thrust, I feel his warm liquid entering my body, and then his face comes into view. This sends me into my own orgasm, and I shout his name while splattering all over our hot and sweaty bodies._

And with that, my eyes burst open widely. It takes me a minute to regain my bearing and figure out where I am. The dream then rears its ugly head at me, or rather the very pretty head of Zelos Wilder. Stupid dream. Stupid kiss. Stupid Zelos.

I feel around the sheets and am displeased to find that I have soiled them… crap. I've got to take care of this before anyone else gets up…

I pry myself off of the bed, careful not to step over the idiot who took my place of sleeping on the floor, and peer out the window. Still dark, though hints of dawn on the horizon. Good. No one will be up yet, unless I'm unlucky (which I suppose I am, but… whatever).

I peel the soiled sheets off of the bed, being very quiet, so as not to wake Zelos. Since we're in a hotel instead of a house, I have no choice but to simply wash them in the bathroom sink, with plain hand soap. That done, I stand on my tiptoes to hang the sheets over the shower edge.

Now, to come up with a cover story… hmm… Spilled coffee? No, I don't drink coffee. Too suspicious. Some kind of food? No, I don't really have an excuse to be eating at this time of the morning, since I'm generally not one to snack between meals. What else could I have spilled? Cough medicine? Yes, I think that will be a good story. I do have a cold, after all. So, I got up to take some cough medicine because I couldn't sleep, and in my tired haste to down it, managed to spill most of it all over the bed. Yes, that will work.

But why did this have to happen? Why me? Why him? None of it makes any sense. I… I just don't know… anything, anymore.

I clutch my head in silent agony, and feel a trail of hot liquid tears running down my cheeks and into the sink, mixing in with the soapy water. I have no idea why I cry, but I do, for almost an hour, just standing there over the bathroom sink.

My sobbing finally slows to a halt. I wipe my eyes, and walk out of the bathroom. There I am met by the sight of the professor. When did she get here? I never heard the door open… I must have been too caught up in myself.

She is currently hunched over the bed, where I see a figure sprawled under the sheets. Hmm, Zelos must have stolen the bed when I left to the bathroom.

"Good morning, professor Sage," I greet her, my throat surprisingly clear.

"Ah, hello, Lloyd, you sound a lot better today. How do you feel?"

"Much better. In fact, I feel fine! We can continue on our way any time now!"

"I'm glad to hear that, but we actually can't leave yet. Zelos managed to catch himself a cold."

"What! How!" Oh my goddess, I hope it's not the same one I had. That would be awfully suspicious…

"I don't know, but he seems to have the same symptoms as the cold you had. Maybe he caught it because you guys are staying in the same room?"

Shit. That's all I have to say.

"He's sleeping peacefully right now. I heard him moaning loudly, all the way from in my room down the hall, so I got up to check on him. When I found him, he was running a high fever, and had kicked all of his covers off, so I moved him to the bed. At first I thought it would be you, still feeling sick, but you weren't even there. Speaking of that, where were you?"

Shit, I must have been REALLY out of it. "I was… I got up to take some more medicine, because at the time, I was feeling awful. But I spilled some of it on the bed, so I had to go wash the sheets."

She seems to accept my answer, and I sigh inwardly, relieved, before she says, "Well, I'm going to leave so I can let him sleep for the rest of the day. Goodbye."

She walks outside, closing the door softly behind her, and I wander over next to the bed. I am met with the sight of a sleeping Chosen. The bed covers are pulled all the way up to his neck, concealing the rest of his body, but his feverish face is in clear view. Rosy red cheeks, bangs matter to his forehead with sweat, tousled hair that's begging to be brushed.

I gently run my hand through his red locks, marveling at how soft and silky it feels. I suppose the heat of the moment goes to my head, because the next thing I know is that my lips are pressed against his. My hands are on either side of his face, propping me up as I lightly revel in the unique taste of the Chosen's delectable lips.

But then, it's over. I pull away, open my eyes, and am met by twin ocean blue orbs staring at me. With a sudden look of horror on my face, I pull all the way away, my chocolate eyes as huge as saucers.

Agh… what have I gotten myself in to? And why in the world did I do that in the first place? I must be insane…

"Oh… my… gawd…" That's all I can say as I stagger backwards, away from the bed of horrors. Zelos calmly sits up, hands propping him up from behind. A wolfish grin spreads across his disheveled face, leading me to believe he's not as sick as I had first assumed.

"Ah, c'mon, Lloydie. Why'd you have to go and stop so quickly?" the redhead asks, causing me to stop backing up.

"Um, what are you talking about? I didn't do anything." Great way to feign innocence. It's obvious that he doesn't buy my act for even a moment, but waves it off anyways, to my great relief.

"Whatever you say. Now --cough, hack--, could you please get me some medicine?" he asks, plopping back down. I simply nod, still a little shaken, and go to the end table where the pills and cough syrup are. I pour him a cup of the foul-tasting stuff along with some water to ease the taste, and he swallows, thanking me gracefully.

"Just so you know, that was the last of the cough syrup, so it's going to have to last you for a while," I inform him.

He nods and mutters an approval, then appears to fall asleep again.

I wander over to the window, and, seeing that it's late in the morning, decide to take a walk to pass some time. But first I must change into appropriate clothing.

I ruffle through the pile of clothes stationed in a remote corner of the inn room, sorting mine out from those of my roommate. Walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind me (I lock it just for good measure), I quickly discard the plain white t-shirt and black sweatpants that I sleep in, choosing instead my usual adventurer's garb.

Before I can leave the room, I hear the body on the bed shift several times consecutively. Walking over, I see that Zelos has, in his sleep, pushed all of the covers off of himself, and is now shaking uncontrollably.

With a small sigh I pull the covers, nearly falling off the side of the bed, back up to about his shoulders. As I make to turn around, though, the Chosen's hand reaches out to grab my own, therefore stopping me.

"Nnnmm… don't leave…" the sleeping one mumbles, almost incoherently. At this, I'm rather torn. Do I pretend I didn't hear his quiet plea and continue on, or do I give in, therefore fulfilling my own hidden desires? The pros of staying seem to outweigh the cons, so I carefully sit down beside him, his hand still grasping mine.

After a few moments of this, I finally decide to lie down, slipping underneath the covers for extra warmth. I curl myself up next to him, comfortably nestled up into his side.

I don't know exactly how many hours pass by; maybe only a few, maybe several, but I find myself slowly drifting off into a pleasant slumber. In my last few moments of consciousness, I turn onto my side, snuggling my head down into the bare chest of the sleeping Zelos, and feel his arms wrap around me, legs, clothed only by silky red boxers, intertwining with my own. And for those very last few seconds, my thoughts are happy, light, carefree, and I feel completely at ease.

TBC!

Okay, everyone! What do you think of this latest installment? Yes, limey goodness! I can't decide if I want to do a real limey scene later on, what do you guys think? R&R!


	6. New Discoveries

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I can't afford to be sued… whatever. sigh I don't own Tales of Symphonia, nor any of its characters. But my birthday is on August 15th, so could I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 6: New Discoveries

Raine's POV

Thinking I should go check on the sick Chosen of Tethe'alla, I dismiss myself from the small inn table where the remaining six of us are eating ramen for dinner (courtesy of Genis, of course) and head up the stairs to the room he and Lloyd are staying in. I briefly wonder where said boy is, since normally he would never miss an opportunity to eat ramen. But when I open the door, my questions are answered as I walk over to the bed.

The sight before me is rather cute, and heartwarming, too. Yet at the same time I feel a sudden rush of pride in knowing that my hunch was right. There, in the bed together, are Lloyd and Zelos, limbs all tangled together, sleeping peacefully.

I've seen the way Lloyd looks at Zelos, and vice versa. I saw Lloyd kiss Zelos earlier (I wasn't spying, honest!). And Lloyd's stuttering of excuses over both the guard duty incident and the dirty sheets incident did not convince me otherwise.

I decide to let the sleeping lay, as the saying goes, and make a silent vow to check on Zelos later. Exiting the inn room, I take a note in the back of my head to always put those two in the same room.

Lloyd's POV once more

The first thing I notice as I wake is that I'm very warm. And comfortable. Opening my eyes, the body intertwined with my own reminds me of the past day's events. I can do nothing but hope that no one came in to check on us…

I carefully extricate myself from the arms of the Chosen and head straight out the door, having never changed into my nightclothes. I walk calmly down the stairs, making sure not to rush or seem flustered or anything, and see the others sitting around the inn table, engaged in conversation. I walk over, making my strides natural, sit down in an empty chair, and am met with a few greetings.

"Ah, I'm glad you're here. We were just discussing where we should go next, and when to leave," Regal informs me.

"Since Zelos isn't better yet, shouldn't we stay here?" I suggest. Colette and Genis not in agreement, but Regal, Raine, and Presea don't look so sure.

"We're almost out of money. We can't afford to stay here much longer," Raine announces.

Genis asks, "How much do we have left?"

"Due to the purchases of our improved weaponry, we have approximately five-hundred gald left," Presea says in her almost robotic manner. She's gotten a lot better since we had her key crest fixed, but… still…

"Ouch. We really are broke," I mutter under my breath. "Fine, we'll go wake Zelos up and ask his opinion." The others nod in consent, but I'm the only one who rises. "Well?"

"How about _you_ go wake Mr. Royal-Pain-in-the-Ass. It was _your_ idea," Genis says snappishly.

I stick my tongue out at him and wrinkle my nose, but continue upstairs anyway.

When I enter the room, I see that the Chosen is awake, and he sits up as soon as he notices my presence.

"Hey, Lloydie! What's up?" he asks in a hoarse voice, showing that he's still not better. I give him a weak smile in greeting.

"Umm, Zelos. Do you feel up to traveling? We're kind of… out of money… so we cant stay at the inn more than another night."

He frowns suddenly. "I dunno… I don't think I can fight or move much at all…"

I contemplate this for a moment. Thinking has never exactly been my strong point, but every now and again I do have a breakthrough, and now seems to be one of those times.

"Okay, how about we just head over to your place in Meltokio? That way you can rest, but we won't have to pay! And if we take the Rheairds, it won't take long to get there, either!"

He thinks on this for only a brief moment before nodding in consent. I excuse myself from the room, and go back downstairs to inform the others of our decision. They all agree that Meltokio would be the best place to go for now. While we're there we can even stock up on some of Zelos' money.

And so it is that the eight of us pack our bags and set off for Meltokio!

TBC

Yay, chapter six down! Only an indefinite number of chapter left to go (I'm on chapter 12 right now, and still going)… Look for the next chapter in a few days, and, as always, I want more reviews!


	7. Permission Denied

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I'm only 13 and therefore can't afford to be sued… sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday is August 15th, so can I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 7: Coming Clean

Lloyd's POV

The ride to Meltokio, via the Rheairds, is fairly uneventful, and relatively quick. The city itself is lively and full of activity as usual, nobles strutting about and beggars on the side of the streets, hoping to pick up some gald. Unfortunately, we have none to give.

Zelos fell asleep sometime on the way here, and I am, of course, the one stuck with the job of having to carry him in my arms. It is rather uncomfortable, but what I won't admit is that I'm actually quite enjoying the feel of his warm body cradled in my welcoming arms, head pressed against my chest, arms wrapped rather awkwardly around my back, and his unique citrus scent engulfing my sensitive nose. I have got to ask him what kind of cologne he wears, and where I might could buy some…

I don't realize I've been daydreaming until I nearly run into Presea, in front of me, who has stopped in her tracks, as has the rest of the group. When I come to my senses, I understand why. Kratos. My father.

There he stands before us, standing upright and confident, the usual look of mystery embedded deeply into his familiar brown eyes. My eyes are the same color.

Regal stirs from his stupor first. "Since it's obvious you're here to talk to us, what exactly is it that you want?"

Kratos looks contemplatively for a moment, before turning to me. "Lloyd. I know about this little game you've been playing, and let me tell you now that the two of you can never be together. It won't work, so it's useless to go on trying."

My eyes widen in confusion. What does he mean? What the hell is he talking about? I voice my confusion, but the angel simply walks away, and none of us try to follow him.

"What was that all about? Do you have any clues, Lloyd?" asks Raine. I shake my head slowly, still feeling just as in the dark as everyone else.

"Let's just ignore that little encounter for now and continue on to Zelos' mansion," suggest Sheena. We all nod in agreement and manage to start moving, at a quicker pace, allowing us to reach our destination in only a few moments.

Sebastian lets us in and, seeing the condition his master is in, hurriedly prepares a room while the seven of us wait in the living room. Zelos sleeps on quietly in my arms, deaf to the world around him, but we opt for silence anyway.

It doesn't take long before I am able to bring the ill Chosen upstairs to the master bedroom. No matter how many times I come here, the sheer opulence of this room never ceases to amaze me. Giant four-poster canopy bed with intricately designed violet covers, golden velvet armchairs, silky violet window drapes, a contemporary Asian flair to all of the décor, complemented by real oak floors and peanut buttery colored walls. This one single room likely would cost more money than all of Iselia.

After admiring the brilliant room, I carefully set the sleeping redhead down on the cushiony bed, my arms starting to ache from the extra weight. Looking around, I see an extra golden and violet patterned quilt folded neatly in the corner, and gently spread it over him. Tucking in the muscled form, I brush some bright red hair out of his eyes, almost affectionately, and notice how warm his forehead is. A bad fever. Crap, that ain't cool.

Returning downstairs, I alert Raine of Zelos' condition, briefly noticing that no one has moved since I went up. Sebastion rushes to get some wet cloths while the professor sets off for the nearest store to get medicine specifically for fevers. Everyone else just sits on the couches, being completely useless.

I decide to go back to the Chosen's room instead of submitting to the uselessness. You never know, it might be contagious. To my surprise, I see Zelos sitting on the windowsill, awake, staring out at the starry night sky. His head turns toward mine and his lips draw into a faint smile. His whole face is flushed from the fever, and his body, clothed now only by a pair of forest green silk pajama bottoms, seems to be shivering violently.

I put a hand on my hip, and a stern expression on my face. "Zelos, what are you doing out of bed? You're not well enough to be up traipsing around your room."

The redhead chuckles lightly and wraps his arms around himself. "Well, **mother**, I was too fidgety just laying in bed like that, so I decided to walk around a bit, to stretch my legs and all. Unfortunately, I didn't make it very far before my strength gave out, so I had to rest at the nearest place which happened to be this windowsill. And now I can't get up, but I'm coooooooooooold!" he complains.

I lower my arm, and sigh. He can be such a baby at times. I walk over and grab both of his hands, effectively pulling him up, and drape one of his arms around my shoulders to support some of his weight. It's a little awkward, but the two of us manage to hobble over to his bed, and I carefully lay him down. He thanks me quietly as I pull the wrinkled covers his still quivering body, and he beckons me to sit down by his side. I warily oblige, wondering what might be coming. He sits up slowly and carefully.

"Lloyd, I just want to thank you for all you've done. Not just for helping me today, while I'm sick, but for everything, from the day I first met you. Back then, I was miserable. Sue, I slapped on a grin and hid behind money and women, but I really had nothing, no reason to live. No friends, no one to love me, just people who thought of me as Zelos the Chosen instead of Zelos the person. You changed that. You changed it all. You gave me friendship as well as a reason to live, to go on, not just as the Chosen of Tethe'alla. You are my best friend. Thank you for everything, and I mean it."

To say that I am shocked would be a great understatement. Astounded, amazed, confused, happy, bewildered, joyous, and so many new emotions that don't even have names. I honestly have absolutely no idea what to say. But I suppose that's for the better, since Zelos has already resumed a sleeping position and most likely wouldn't be able to hear whatever I'd say, anyway. So all I can do is think, and remember all that I've been through with this man at my side. Good times and bad. Pain, anger, despair, revelation, joy, and wonder, all of it flashing through my head. And words come to me. He may not be able to hear, but I say them nonetheless.

"You're my best friend, too, Zel. Maybe even more…" I whisper quietly. With a happy grin on my face, I pry myself off of the bed and silently exit the room. Just as I'm about to close the door, I almost hear a whispered thank you from the otherwise silent figure. I pause momentarily, then shut the door, still grinning.

TBC!

So, everyone, how do ya like it? Sorry it took me so long to update… a lot's been going on lately. But it's here now! And, as always, I love reviews, and will cherish them forever! .


	8. Feelings Understood

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I'm only 13 and therefore can't afford to be sued… sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday is August 15th, so can I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 8: Feelings Voiced

Lloyd's POV

The next day brings hope. Zelos is up and moving, talking clearly, no sign of a fever. It's almost as if he was never sick at all… Some of the others are starting to believe that the Chosen was faking the whole thing, but I know he wasn't.

And se we, ourselves, are sitting in the living room of Zelos the Chosen's gigantic mansion, debating over when to continue.

"We have to go to the Tower of Salvation, to end everything once and for all. We can't just wait around forever! The longer we wait, the more people will have to suffer!" says Sheena. All of us nod in silent agreement.

"We don't forget that we still need to stock up on supplies, as well as Zelos' gald, while we're still here in Meltokio," Regal adds. "That is okay with you, Zelos, right?"

"Hmm… on one condition. We have to… take a vacation!"

Everyone, even bubbly little Colette, looks at Zelos like he's crazy.

"What do you mean! Oh, sure, let's all take a vacation and let Mithos run rampant while innocent people are suffering, just so that we can relax! What are you thinking! Besides, what do you call all of this time we've spent trying to get you and Lloyd better?" demands Sheena. She really does have quite the temper, at least when it comes to Zelos…

"A time of rest and regeneration. And since I was sick the whole time, I wasn't having any fun! Vacations require a certain amount of enjoyment to be called vacations.

"Look at it this way. If we are all tired, stressed, nervous, weary, and all that good stuff, do you really thing we can take on Yggdrasil? He's strong, guys, stronger than anyone else we've defeated. If we don't have all of our energy, he'll kill us all, and how would we help return the world to its original state if we were dead?"

He does have a point.

"Well, then, where do you propose we go for this… vacation?" asks Genis is an insecure, undecided voice.

"To Altamira, of course! Fancy hotel, nice casino, amusement park, and plenty of hot babes all around!"

For some reason, that last comment struck a nerve that it shouldn't have.

All of us sigh except Colette, who now seems nothing but happy at the thought of a break, but we all accept it as inevitable. After all, it is his money… The now beaming redhead flies up the stairs, muttering something about needing to pack. I decide to follow, if only for lack of better ideas.

When I enter the room, it appears empty of all idiot Chosens. I step farther into the room, looking around in every nook and cranny. When I open the closet doors, an unidentified flying object launches itself at me, toppling us both onto the plush violet rug. Luckily I realize that my so-called 'attacker' is actually Zelos, before my instinct kicks in and tells me to kill him.

I blink my eyes momentarily as my feeble mind tries to figure out what just happened, and why there's an annoying red-haired idiot on top of me. So… Zelos was hiding in the closet. When I opened the door, he jumped on top of me, and is now… huggling… me. Yes, huggling, with his legs on either side of me, arms wrapped around my waist, head lying on my chest. More blinking on my part. The redhead then lifts himself into a knelling position, straddling my hips, and leans down, lowering his lips onto mine. For the third time in only a few days, I find myself being kissed by Zelos Wilder.

"Mmph!" I mumble as I push him off. It felt so good… but it shouldn't have. It should have been horrible, disgusting, revolting—but it wasn't. And that scares me. Things like this have been happening more and more often lately; three kisses with this man (that was my first kiss, too!), and a very sensual wet dream.

Why Zelos? He's not exactly what I would normally call 'my type.' In fact, up until now, I thought I was straight… So why now, why him?

It seems that Zelos, still on top of me, face mere inches from mine, has noticed that something is not quite right with me. "Is something wrong, buddy?"

It takes me a minute to gather up my eclectic thoughts before I reply. "Yes, Zelos, something **_is_** wrong! You're wrong, I'm wrong, the whole fucking world is wrong!" I shout, voice growing in volume with each word.

At this point, the redhead has crawled off of me and is reclining back on his arms, eyes blinking in bewildered confusion, while I stand straight up.

"And you know what else is wrong, Zelos! I don't care! Everything is wrong with everything, and I don't give a flying rat's ass! Why is this happening…? What's wrong with me…?" These last two sentences are spoken in a mere whisper. Tears trail down my face, not heeding any warnings thrown from my brain, which has failed me in more ways than one.

Finally I plop down onto the floor again, pull my knees up to my chest, and let the sobs take over my body. Stupid teenage angst/hormones.

I soon feel a pair of warm arms wrap around my huddled body, and a head come to rest on my trembling shoulder, making me cry even harder.

I have no idea how long it takes, but soon I manage to calm myself down, breathing deep, though still shaky, breaths.

"Lloyd, I have no idea what exactly is going on here, but I just want you to know that I'm here for you. You're my best friend, and I care about you. A lot."

The redhead squeezes me one more time before letting go and forcing me to uncurl. He grabs my hand and lifts me to my feet before embracing me tightly once more. I put my arms over his, which are wrapped securely around my chest, and clasp our hands together. The seconds tick by, but I never want to let go. It's hard to push away my doubts, but for this short time I want to simply indulge myself in the warm embrace of the one I… love.

Zelos finally releases me, and I sigh contentedly, albeit quietly. "Sorry, bud, but I've still gotta finish packing. I'd assume we're leaving shortly for our vacation."

I blink for a moment, as I've been doing a lot lately, and then nod, exiting the room. When I'm out of earshot I bang my head solidly against the wall, just once, for impact. How could I have let this happen? How could I have fallen in love with Zelos, the Chosen, playboy extraordinaire? My idiotic, stupid, lazy, arrogant best friend? Fate is obviously out to get me.

This vacation to Altamira could be a very dangerous circumstance indeed.

TBC!

Okay, okay, I know Lloyd's been acting rather OOC, but you gotta remember that he's still a teenager, so most likely would have problems with teen angst, y'know? So please don't hurt me!

Anyways, R&R! You know you want to! I love getting reviews… I'm a review-aholic.

BTW, this story, so far, is 13 chapters and going! I expect it to be around 15 or 16 by the time I'm done.


	9. Trust is Easily Broken

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I can't afford to be sued… whatever. Sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday was on August 15th, so could I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 9: Trust is Easily Broken

Lloyd's POV

Don't ask me how it happened, because I have no idea, really. All I know is that I am, once more, being forced to stay in the same room as Zelos Wilder. He was in charge of reservations, seeing as he's the one who suggested all of this in the first place, as well as being the one with the money, so what does he do? He makes the two of us share a room while everyone else gets their own. Coincidence? I think not.

So here I am, in the most expensive room in Altamira, with a certain redheaded Chosen right in front of me. On the plus side, there are two beds, and they look wonderfully comfortable.

This whole room is freaking huge, and opulently decorated. Tan walls, a rich peanut butter colored carpet, with matching drapes over the ornate windows, accented by two king-sized four-poster beds with rich silk sheets, red and white checkered bedspreads, two red pillows on the right and white on the left. A red leather couch with white trim and pillows lays before a black and white marble fireplace, and a rich oak table with a glass top and matching oak chairs dwells in a far corner of the room next to a miniature red refrigerator. This must have cost a fortune.

Zelos seems to notice my obvious amazement at the room, for he grins quite widely. "I take it you like my taste in accommodations?"

I nod dumbly with wide eyes.

"Good. You take the bed on the right; I'll take the one on the left. Okay? Good."

I walk slowly over to my appointed bed, marveling at the feel of the soft black silk as the sheets glide between my fingers.

"By the way you're groping that, bud, one would think you'd never seen silk sheets before."

I let the edge slide out of my grasp and turn to look at him, replying, "Well, I haven't."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"No wonder you're the way you are, if you grew up without something so small and insignificant as silk. I never knew people actually lived that way…"

By now Zelos has wandered to his own bed and is lounging quietly on it. He seems so at home in places like this, whereas to me, this is still a whole new world. I wonder if I could ever get used to living like this?

The Chosen yawns before saying, "Look under your bed, there's some stuff there that might come in handy."

I have no idea what in the worlds he's talking about until I pull out a pair of black swimming shorts with a blue strip going down the side of each leg. I see Zelos pull himself off his own bed and pull out a pair identical to mine only with red stripes instead of blue. I wonder why he doesn't have his usual tiny excuse for a swimsuit? Maybe he finally learned to be practical.

"There's a bathroom through that door to the right. You can go get changed first, and I'll go when you get done."

"Oh, are we going swimming now?"

"Uh-huh!"

"What about everyone else?"

"Don't worry, I had the staff leave them each a swimsuit of their own and instructions to meet us down at the beach."

Satisfied with this answer, I grab the shorts and meander my way to the bathroom. Inside I see that the bathroom is as fancy as the bedroom itself. Black and white marble counters, pure white marble sink, toilet, and bathtub/shower, shiny glass mirror with a pure gold lining, all accentuated by a black tiled floor and pure white walls.

I stand in the doorway for a moment, just looking around, before shaking my head to regain composure, and shut the door behind me. As a second thought I turn back and lock it.

When I'm finished changing I walk out and am about to tell Zelos that it's his turn when I see that the redhead is nowhere in sight. I shrug and toss my other clothes onto the floor, noticing my roommate's clothes next to mine. I guess he already changed.

It's a short walk out of the hotel and down to the beach, and when I arrive, I see that all of my friends are already there. Genis and Regal are wearing variations of Zelos's and my swimsuits, the younger's with turquoise streaks and the older's with white ones. The girls are all wearing one-piece swimsuits. Colette's is yellow, Raine's is ice blue, Presea's is pink, and Sheena's is a dark maroon.

Colette and Genis are splashing around in the water, playing some sort of game, while Raine and Sheena are sunbathing, and Regal's enjoying a smoothie by the bar. Zelos, I see, is sitting on a red and white striped towel not far away, gazing at the ocean, and I decide to join, walking over and plopping myself down unceremoniously next to him and folding my legs.

Zelos shoots me a small smile; small, but a real smile, not one of he Cheshire cat grins, or trademark smirks. He turns to me and says, "I see you finally made it down here. Took your sweet time, though, didn't you?"

I try to scowl at him, I really do! But my carefree upturned lips give me away.

Dismissing the comment, I turn a curious gaze onto the redhead. "Why are you over here all by yourself, instead of flirting with all the girls on the beach?"

"I'm not alone anymore, now am I?"

I send a playful glare at him to attack the smirk on his face. My glare looses. "But seriously, why are you over here?"

Zelos seems to think unusually hard before answering, "I don't really know the answer to that myself. I guess I just get tired of being 'Zelos the playboy,' just like I get tired of being 'Zelos the Chosen.' Every now and again I'd like to just be Zelos, the ordinary guy, without apostrophes surrounding his name like some sort of title. Sometimes I just want to be me."

Wow. Once again, this stupid guy beside me has said something serious, well thought out, and sincere, rendering me speechless, and causing my brain to do far more thinking than it's used to.

It takes me a minute to form some sort of reply, and the whole time, Zelos just sits there, leaning back on his elbows, looking at me with an almost lost and sad expression.

"So, wait… all this time… you've been acting?"

He nods slowly.

"You don't like the attention?"

Another nod.

"You don't like the women hanging off of you?"

This emits a verbal response from him. "To be honest, I don't really like girls. There are some that are kind and sweet, sincere and loveable. But far too many of them are spoiled, selfish, heartless little brats who want me for my looks, fame, and fortune."

"Then, do you mean to say you're…?"

"Gay? Yep."

I simply stare, bewildered, as my entire image of Zelos Wilder collapses upon me.

"Most people think I'm either straight or bi. You and I are the only ones who know the truth. You'll keep my secret for me, right?"

I nod, very slowly, absorbing it all in. Wow.

"I'm also a virgin."

This is enough to make me fall backwards in surprise. "Seriously? Zelos, a virgin? I mean, even if you don't like girls, the way you act about everything…"

"Yeah, I know. I'm a pretty good actor, ne?"

Still on my back, I stare up at the bright blue sky in amazement, watching as the puffy white clouds drift by lazily. "Wow. You have, in the past few days, completely destroyed everything I thought I knew about you."

The redhead simply chuckles, and lets his arms give out so that he, too, is looking to the sky. "I guess you could say I'm a more complex person than I let on to."

"Yea, you definitely are. But that's one of the reasons I lo--… like you so much," I reply. Crap. That could have been a very bad slip there.

Zelos sits up and watches my blushing face with curious, yet mischievous, deep blue eyes. "Lloyd, what were about to say before you stopped yourself?"

Shitshitshitshitshit. "Umm, n-nothing. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"You were about to say you love me, weren't you?" the Chosen asks, letting a grin play across his yummy lips.

I bolt upright. "O-of course not! I'm Lloyd, you're Zelos, I'm a guy, you're a guy, that's just wrong and stupid and gross and you're—you're—you…" I manage to cut myself off and clamp my hands around my mouth, realizing the numerous mistakes I just made.

Right on cue, Zelos stands up, all hints of curiosity, mischievousness, and happiness gone, instead replaced by anger, sadness, and hurt, and he balls his fists up at his sides. "I thought… I thought you were different than that. I thought you would understand. I thought I could trust you. I guess I was wrong, though. You're just like them. Just like all of those other people who just don't get it."

I hang my head in shame the whole time, looking up only long enough to whisper, "I didn't mean it that way, and you know it…"

He simply shakes his head sadly. "Do I? I don't think so. What I do know is that next time, I'll be more careful not to trust too easily. I now know that I may not ever trust anyone, ever again…"

With that he walks away, back toward the hotel, sadness written on his features, the way his back is too straight, head slightly down, walking slowly.

How easy it is to slip, break someone's trust, and lose one's best friend.

TBC!

Okay, yes, I know this was a sad chapter, as far as the storyline and my writing abilities… meh. I tried really hard to make Lloyd sound like he was completely insulting Zelos in his little rant, but I'm not sure I quite pulled it off. You know how that stupid boy can be, letting his mouth run without the help of his head! So, yes, review, please! Cookies to everyone who does! And if you don't review, the evil cookie-stealing mouse of doom will make sure you never have any cookies again… Nyahahahaha!


	10. Correcting the Situation

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I'm only 13 and therefore can't afford to be sued… sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday was on August 15th, so can I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Author's note: Ugh, I'm sorry for the lack of updates over the last week or two! I was at my dog's flyball competition for a while, and didn't have internet access (how horrible that was!). But, ya, I'm back in business now.

Chapter 10: Correcting the Situation

Lloyd's POV

Dinner that night is rather awkward. The eight of us decide to eat in the hotel restaurant, and there is only light conversation to which everyone contributes except Zelos and I. It seems apparent that the others have noticed this. Every few minutes someone will sneak a glance at the redhead, who is currently hunched over his plate darkly, or myself, with my head hung low in shame, unable to force down much food at all. The meal is really quite good, prepared by some of the best chefs here, but I can't find it in myself to enjoy this meal when I'm living with the guilt of having betrayed my best friends faith in me, as well as his faith in humanity.

In a brief lapse of silence, Zelos stands up and mutters something about going to bed early, walking to the elevator located at the other end of the room. No one else really makes any moves to keep him from going, though they seem rather worried about his sullen attitude.

"Zelos, wait!" I shout, standing up abruptly.

He pauses momentarily, but continues on his way into the elevator. I run toward him, but the doors begin to close, and he makes no move to stop them, eyes showing no emotion at all, though boring into mine as is trying to convey a message.

The rest of the group has all seen the close bond that Zelos shares with me, and no one else, so, watching our little scene, they are rather surprised to see the Chosen acting so brusque toward me all of a sudden.

I jab the up button next to the doors so I can follow Zelos up as quickly as possible. We share a bedroom, so it should be easy to locate him, unless he's decided to run off (to where, I have no idea, since there's not really much on our floor).

I barely give the elevator time to slide open its doors before I rush inside and push the button for the fifth floor a little harder than was really necessary. Slithering over to the back corner, I drum my fingers nervously against the wall. What the hell am I going to say? I messed up pretty badly… Can I possibly correct this situation?

When I open the door to the bedroom, having left my sanity in the elevator, I see the lights are already off and there is a figure curled up in bed, whom I assume to be the person I came to see, even though it's only about 8:00 PM.

Walking purposefully over to his bed, I take in the sight of a seemingly sleeping man; eyes closed peacefully, breathing shallow, lithe body motionless under the checkered sheets aside from slow and steady breaths.

I gather up my courage, and prepare myself, saying, "Zelos, I know you're not asleep. First of all, it hasn't even been five minutes since you got up from dinner, and secondly, you already used this sleeping trick on me in Flanoir."

I stare, expecting some recognition, but there is no answer. "Fine, I'll just talk to a 'sleeping' person. That might make this a little bit easier for me."

Still no movement.

"Talk to me, Zelos! Open your eyes! Move! Just do something, goddammit!" I exclaim, tears filling my eyes. Again.

When the redhead still refuses to acknowledge anything I've said, I begin sobbing full heartedly. I don't want to, I'm just… tired. Tired of everything. Mad at myself. Head clouded in despair.

"Zelos… Answer me, damnit!" I scream.

The Chosen of Tethe'alla does not open his eyes, but instead open his mouth and whispers, "Why should I?"

I don't bother thinking at all, and just let the words flow straight from my heart. Sounds like the best way to go, ne? "It's because you know I didn't mean what I said! Not a word of it! You're my best friend ever, Zelos Wilder! I trust you; I care about you; I LOVE you, goddammit!"

The redhead's eyes burst open, beautiful blue orbs of light staring up at me, wide with shock. At this point there are tears storming down my face, my fists are clenched tightly at my sides, and my knees are wobbling terrible. I hope I don't fall down.

"Lloyd… what did you… what did you just say?"

"I said I love you! I love you, and only you, Zelos Wilder!"

Said man bolts upright and just stares at me for a moment. I have no idea what he's going to do; I just confessed that I LOVE HIM. That's not something that many people take lightly. I guess I'm… scared… Scared of how he'll take it.

He reaches out to me with his left arm and I cringe, expecting him to punch me, or something of the sort. The pain doesn't come. Instead, I feel a warm presence wrap around my back and pull me forward. My head is gently pushed against his chest, and I allow my legs to climb awkwardly onto the bed.

So here I am, plopped in a man's lap, face pressed against him, arms wrapped around his back, and I've just confessed my love to him. Also, I'm bawling my eyes out, which normally wouldn't happen very often, but lately has been a normal occurrence. Things just keep getting stranger and stranger, don't they?

I feel Zelos gently lay his head on top of mine and his arms encompass my back. My hands clutch tightly at his jacket, and my sobbing slowly begins to dwindle down to a random sniffle.

It can't be more than 8:15 or so, but suddenly I feel veeeeery tired. Before I can fall asleep, though, I hear a faint whisper, "I love you too, Lloyd. I have since the day I met you."

I lips curve into the fullest smile I'm ever done before, and allow Zelos to pull me down beneath the covers to where I'm laying with my body next to him, head still resting on his chest, one arm draped across his stomach.

The redhead's arms fold around both of our bodies, sheltering us from the cruel world beyond. Before I drift into the land of happy dreams, all I feel is the warmth of my angel's body and the bliss that comes from being loved.

TBC!

Yes, sappy chapter alert/Coughhack/… Umm, anyways, yes, as always, I hunger for reviews, blah blah blah, you know the drill. See you in the next chapter!


	11. Passions Indulged

Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I'm only 13 and therefore can't afford to be sued… sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But can I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Author's note: Again, I'm sorry about the lack of updates. I'll try really hard to update more now that I'm back to having a semi-regular schedule… forgiveth me?

--This chapter is NOT CITRUS! It may seem like it at one point, but… just wait.

Chapter 11: Passion Interrupted

Lloyd's POV

"Lloyd… wake up…"

I don't wanna.

"Lloyd, wake up!"

I want to go back to sleep.

"LLOYD! WAKE UP!"

I open my weary eyes, and the insistent shaking of my shoulders ceases. I see Zelos, with a semi-irritated look on his face, straddling my hips. Hmm, that's a little… awkward…

I sit up quickly so that my face is against Zelos' chest, effectively hiding the blush covering my cheeks. He pushes me back slightly and chuckles at me as I drop my head, rather embarrassed.

"Well good morning, my sleepy hunny!" he says, planting a chaste kiss on my lips.

On the inside I'm positively beaming, happier than I've ever been in my life. Waking up to the person I love, content as he gives me a good morning kiss… what could possibly be better? But on the outside I manage to force a scowl on my mouth at the usage of that stupid nickname.

"Don't call me a 'hunny!' I'm not a girl!" I snap.

The redhead grins and replies, "Whatever you say, Lloydie-poo!"

I scowl again, and smack him lightly on the head, causing a look of fake hurt to cross his face. "I thought you loved me! But no, all I get is ungrateful abuse!"

I laugh lightly and give him a quick kiss, feeling a little braver, before a question enters my head unexpectedly. "Say, Zelos, why did you wake me up? It's only barely dawn…"

"Oh! Yes, thank you for reminding me. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the amusement park with me today… You know, just the two of us?"

"Sure, that sounds like a lot of fun! But what about everyone else? Won't they wonder where they are, since they're probably not up yet?"

"Nah, I had the hotel staff leave them each a note that there aren't any plans today, and that everyone should just do whatever they want to do."

"Where you planning this in advance?"

"Yes, actually, I was going to use this vacation as the perfect opportunity for me to make my moves on you!"

Sweat drop. "And there I almost ruined it, too…"

"Ah well, what's done is done. You have been forgiven. It's the fact that we're together _now_ that matters, ne?"

I nod and then abruptly pull him into a tight embrace. After a second of surprise, Zelos returns it full-heartedly.

I know I'm being rather clingy and whatnot, but… this all seems too good to be true. I still feel as if at any minute now I'm going to wake up, cold and alone. It feels like it's just a dream…

I reluctantly pull away, instantly missing the warmth that only my significant other can bring, and crawl off the bed as Zelos follows suit. Neither of us changed out of our clothes last night, so we don't have to get dressed. I'm wearing a simple red t-shirt and tan cargo pants, while the redhead is wearing his usual pink jacket and matching outfit. We simply spend a minute tidying our appearances; me running a hand quickly through my hair while Zelos fusses over this and that.

I don't think I ever noticed just how much he goes through to maintain his abnormally gorgeous looks. Before he allows us to leave, Zelos washes his hair (with special herbal shampoo and conditioner, to 'allow for a more natural feel'), brushes and styles his hair, playing around with his white headband until it accents his red locks perfectly, moisturizes his face and hands, shaves, smears some sort of lip balm over his rosy red lips (much to my distaste), and straightens hid clothes out to the point that there are no out-of-place wrinkles to be seen.

Wow. Who knew Zelos could be such a… girl? The whole time he spends primping I just sit comfortably in one of the squishy, over-sized chairs, trying to stifle my laughter. I really find this whole thing to be rather amusing.

The redhead takes one last scrutinizing look at his appearance in the mirror before exiting the bathroom and walking swiftly over to me.

"Shall we take our leave?" he asks suavely, taking my hand in his and pulling me up and out of the chair. I chuckle lightly (NOT giggle), and nod my head, still clutching his hand.

Before we walk out the door he pauses, a contemplative look crossing his features. He turns to me and kisses me on the lips, just briefly.

"What do you think of this flavor?" he asks. It takes me a minute to realize that he means the lips balm. I lick my lips, testing them to find out.

"Mm, strawberry!"

"You like it, then, I assume?"

"Yea, I do like it, surprisingly enough!"

The walk out of the hotel and down to the elemental railroad is uneventful, as is the ride from there to the amusement park. The two of us chat lightly, occasionally stealing a quick smooch or a soft caress. The people stare, some of the women throwing fits over the loss of their 'sex god' Chosen, but I don't really care. All that matters is that we're here, together on this day, with nothing to disturb our shared happiness.

Once there, we go on ever singly ride together, and I don't think I've ever been this happy in my entire life. Here I am, spending a fun filled day at an amusement park with someone I love. I make sure to savor each and every moment, knowing that it may be a long while before we have another chance like this.

Before I know it, morning changes to afternoon, when we share a quick lunch of hot dogs and cotton candy, and soon turns to evening.

"Ne, Zelos? We should probably go home soon… it's getting late, and you know how much Colette worries about everyone…" I say reluctantly, rather hesitant to end this wonderful day.

"Aw, come on, Lloyd, one more ride?" At the unsure look on my face, he adds, "Please? We haven't been on the Ferris wheel yet," he whines.

"Alright, I suppose one more won't hurt."

Since when am I the mature one? Oh well, I didn't really want to leave yet, anyway.

Zelos grins like a child and glomps onto me, giving me a quick peck on the lips before grabbing my hand and dragging me to the giant wheel. Since it's getting close to closing time, there are no lines, and the guy in charge of the ride lets us in almost as soon as we get there.

I climb in next to Zelos on the plastic bench, who pulls me into his lap after the conductor closes the door, and both of us turn to face the window. For a few minutes as we rise through the air, all I can see is the amusement park, but soon a spectacular view comes into focus. We con see all of Altamira, the city night's lights splaying brightly across the ocean's deep blue waters. It really is beautiful, and I'm so happy to be able to share this with someone I care so much about.

"Wow, it's so amazing!" I gasp. The Ferris wheel stops while we're at the very top, making everything just all too perfect.

"Yea, it really is gorgeous, isn't it? But not as gorgeous as you…"

I blush brightly, mildly annoyed at the use of such a clichéd line. I'm about to voice my complaint, when suddenly I'm turned around and there's a warm pair of lips on my own.

This kiss is deeper than any other we've shared so far, and when I gasp, Zelos takes the opportunity to thrust his tongue into my mouth, thereby rendering my brain empty of anything other than the amazing sensations sweeping over me.

I let my eyes close as our tongues wrap around each other, exploring every nook and cranny of the other's mouth, and I tangle my hands in his silky smooth, strawberry red tresses. I feel one of his hands wrap around the back of my head, as if to pull me deeper into the kiss, and the other slides up and under my shirt, pressing circles onto my back.

Suddenly Zelos pushes me down completely off of his lap so that I'm laying splayed upon the seat, lips forced to part, and he crawls over me with a wolfish grin on his face.

"Lloyd, you have no idea just how long I've waited for this moment," he drawls in a husky voice.

I am currently unable to answer, cheeks flushed, panting heavily due to lack of breath. Zelos plants his lips against mine once more, knees on either side of my legs, and palms laying flat next to my head.

The redhead breaks the kiss and sits up, then begins to tug at the hem of my shirt. I blush furiously, but raise my upper body and lift my arms above my head to allow him to slip the plain red t-shirt off, before removing his own gloves, jacket, and shirt.

I lay back down and he sets his body down gently upon mine, though still slightly supporting his weight with his arms, and a jolt runs through me at the feeling of bare skin touching skin. I let out an audible moan and he grins, locking our lips together again.

Zelos shifts his weight onto his left arm, freeing the other to explore. He lifts his chest off of mine, to my momentary displeasure, but makes up for it by placing his hand to toy with my nipples.

Soon he replaces fingers with lips, and the feeling takes over me completely. My entire focus is solely upon the feeling of his tongue swirling around the rosy bud, and when he nips lightly, it elicits from me a loud gasp that turns into a husky moan from deep in the back of my throat.

The Chosen's free hand begins to play around with the waist of my tan cargo pants, and I begin to wonder, with great anticipation, what is to come. As he begins to slide the pants down, there's a sudden sound that disrupts us.

"Ahem. Umm, excuse me, but the ride is over now, and the park is about to close."

Our heads turn simultaneously toward the door, where the Ferris wheel operator stands uncomfortably, shifting from side to side.

I let out an incomprehensible 'meep,' and my face turns redder than Zelos' hair. Said redhead merely sighs dramatically before sitting up and replacing his clothes as the embarrassed operator steps away. I soon follow suit, after a brief moment of being unable to move, and quickly throw my shirt on before rushing outside to a nearby bench. I vaguely notice the fact that it's a lot cooler out here, and the windows of our carriage are noticeably steamed up…

Zelos walks over and sits down next to me after a moment, and the two of us stare at each other for a minute before bursting into a fit of laughter. I hear a quiet 'humph' coming from the ride operator, and that just causes us to laugh even harder.

Forcing myself to stop, I take a few breaths of the fresh salty ocean air before saying, "we really should get back to the hotel now, you know."

The redhead frowns. "Yea, I guess you're right… but that sure was fun!" he adds with a happy smile.

I nod, letting out a small chuckle before grabbing the Chosen's hand and dragging him back toward the railway.

Yea, that was fun, but… I'm not satisfied. I won't deny the fact that I'm craving more, so much more, and am rather furious at that stupid guy for interrupting us. Then again, I suppose it _would_ be more romantic for our first time to be in an actual bed…

With firm resolve in my mind, I begin plotting on just how to go about making my own moves.

TBC!

Okies, everyone, next chapter is the citrus-filled one! I think I'm gonna post it on since I'm not allowed to on what do you guys think? Either way, it's not essential to the story to read it, so you can just skip to the next chapter. If I put it on the next 'chapter' here will be a link to it.


	12. Chapter 12 Link

This is the link to chapter 12. **_It is a lime-filled chapter_**! Meaning, mildly graphic sex between Zelos and Lloyd! If you do not want to read it, you don't have to! It is not essential for you to read this chapter; it does not greatly affect the storyline, aside from the knowledge that Zelos and Lloyd have now… well… done it. Okay?

BTW, I still greatly appreciate reviews! Just review to this little chaptery-thingy here, and tell me what you think!

"megan. you are, for some reason, unable to read this, simply leave me a reply or email me to let me know, and I will find a way to fix it. I was just too lazy to turn it into an actual webpage.

I have also posted the link at the bottom of my profile page. Y'know, just in case.


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